British ‘illegal recruiter’ falls

BAGUIO CITY — A 59-year-old Briton is now behind bars here after National Bureau of Investigation (NBI) agents arrested him in Palawan last Tuesday for alleged large-scale illegal recruitment.

Lawyer Rickson Chiong, NBI-Cordillera chief, said Leonard Arthur Shaw, of East Ham, London, allegedly enticed his victims to big-paying jobs in Britain and asked for P7,000 from each of them supposedly for the processing of documents. No applicant, however, has been sent abroad.

Shaw is facing 16 estafa complaints with the NBI office here. — Artemio Dumlao

Butuan Firm’s Payroll Stolen

BUTUAN CITY — A company here lost P236,000 in payroll money to two robbers in a heist that lasted for only 10 seconds the other day, police said.

Maryjane Eduave, 23, cashier and accountant of Ace Commercial and Marketing Corp., and companion Melbour Carrido, 26, had just withdrawn the money from the bank and were climbing the stairs to their office when the robbers, aged 20 to 25, accosted them.

The robbers poked 9-mm handguns at them and then took a black bag containing the money and the company’s bank book.

Raul Paguio, manager of Ace Commercial’s branch here, said the stolen money was supposed to pay the salaries of their more than 30 personnel. — Ben Serrano

Npas Kill Ex-Comrade

CAMP AQUINO, Tarlac — A former leader of a New People’s Army (NPA) unit operating in the eastern towns of Pangasinan was gunned down by his former comrades in Cabanatuan City, the military said.

Lt. Col. Preme Monta, spokesman of the Armed Forces’ Northern Luzon Command, said Willy Lucero, who had returned to the fold of the law, was shot dead in front of his house in Barangay Barrera.

Lucero died on the spot from six bullet wounds. — Benjie Villa

Case Vs Osmeña Terminated

CEBU CITY — Because of the supposed victim’s disinterest in the case, the Office of the Ombudsman has terminated its inquiry into allegations that Mayor Tomas Osmeña punched a taxi driver on the night of Aug. 17 this year.

Driver Dominador Mulleon Jr. alleged that Osmeña boxed him and grabbed his shirt while holding a gun.

Mulleon said he had double-parked in front of Cebu Doctors’ Hospital when Osmeña arrived and reportedly asked for his driver’s license and ordered him to move his vehicle.

When he stepped out after moving his car, Osmeña was not reportedly pleased and allegedly slammed his car door.

The next time he got off the vehicle, Osmeña allegedly boxed him and grabbed his shirt while holding a gun. — Freeman News Service

Mayor Survives Shooting In Bar

ZAMBOANGA CITY — A Zamboanga del Norte mayor survived a shooting inside a karaoke bar last Wednesday night, but a barangay official who came to his rescue was wounded, police said.

Mayor Manuel Noli Sulit of La Libertad town was drinking with barangay chairman Roger Mamac and another village official when suspect Ruben Perong rudely passed by their table.

Sulit, police said, called Perong’s attention but the latter instead drew a caliber .38 revolver and poked it at the former.

Mamac grabbed the gun which, during the scuffle, went off, hitting him. Perong escaped after the incident. — Roel Pareño